Some Highlights - At a national level, the housing market has shifted over the past year. - There are more homes for sale, price growth has moderated, and homes are taking a little longer to sell. - Do you want to know how your area compares? Connect with a real estate agent to go over what's happening locally and what this means for you.

For years, sellers have had the upper hand in the housing market. With so few homes for sale and so many people who wanted to purchase them, buyers faced tough competition just to get an offer accepted. But now, inventory is rising, and things are starting to shift in many areas. So, is the market finally balancing out? And does that mean buyers will have it a bit easier now? Here’s what you need to know.  What Makes It a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market? It all comes down to how many homes are for sale in an area compared to how many buyers want to buy there. That’s what ultimately determines who has the most leverage. A Seller’s Market is when there are more buyers than homes available, so sellers hold the power. This leads to rising prices, multiple offers, and homes selling quickly – often above the asking price – because there isn’t enough to go around. A Buyer’s Market is when there are more homes than buyers. In this case, the tables turn. Sellers may have to offer concessions and incentives, or negotiate more to get a deal done. That’s because buyers have more choices and can take their time making decisions. You can see this play out over time using data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in the graph below:

Some Highlights - With more homes for sale and buyers being more selective, it’s smart to make strategic updates.​ But how do you decide what’s worth doing? ​You lean on an agent. - An agent will be able to tell you what buyers want, quick wins that’ll have a big impact, and what projects have the best ROI. - What projects are on your to-do list before selling? With only a month left before spring, connect with a local agent so you know what’s worth the time and effort.

This could be the year to sell your house – and here’s why. According to a recent NerdWallet survey, 15% of people are planning to buy a home this year. That’s actually a record high for this survey (see graph below):

There’s one big mistake you need to avoid when you sell your house this year: setting your price too high. It might seem like overpricing gives you room to negotiate or could really boost your profit, but the reality is, it usually backfires. In fact, Realtor.com says almost 20% of sellers — that’s one in five — have to reduce their price to get their house sold. And you don’t want to be one of them. Here’s why starting too high can lead to trouble, and how to avoid it. Overpricing Pushes Buyers Away With mortgage rates and home prices where they are right now, buyers are already stretching their budgets to make a move. So, when they see a house that’s priced too high, they’re not thinking, “I can negotiate.” They’re more likely to think, “next” and skip over your house entirely. An article from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains: “Some sellers are pricing their homes higher than ever just because they can, but this may drive away serious buyers . . .” And if they skip over your listing, you’ll miss out on the chance to get them through the door. That’s the last thing you want because fewer showings mean fewer chances to receive an offer. The Longer Your House Sits, the More Skeptical Buyers Will Get Here’s the other issue. An overpriced house tends to sit on the market longer. And the longer a house lingers, the more buyers start to wonder what’s wrong with it. Is there a problem with the house itself? Are you difficult to work with? Even if the only issue is the price, that extra time creates doubt. As U.S. News says: “. . . setting an unrealistically high price with the idea that you can come down later doesn’t work in real estate . . . A home that’s overpriced in the beginning tends to stay on the market longer, even after the price is cut, because buyers think there must be something wrong with it.” At that point, you’ll have no choice but to lower your price to drum up interest. But that price reduction comes with its own downside: buyers may see it as another red flag, that there’s an issue with the house. The Key To Finding the Right Price for Your House So, what’s the secret to avoiding all these headaches? It’s simple. Work with a local real estate agent who knows the market inside and out, and who’s going to be honest with you about how you should price your house. You don’t want to partner with someone who just agrees to whatever number you throw out there. That’s not an expert who’s going to get you the best results. You want an agent who recommends a price based on their expertise. The right agent will use real-time data from your local market to help you land on a price that makes sense — one that grabs attention, attracts buyers, and still helps you walk away with a great return. Someone who has been there and done that – and done it well. That’s the agent you want to work with. Bottom Line Remember, if the price isn’t compelling, it’s not selling. Instead of shooting too high and scaring off buyers, work with a local agent who knows how to price it right. Connect with an agent to make sure your house hits the market with the right price, gets noticed, and gets sold.

Wondering what’s in store for the housing market this year? And more specifically, what it all means for you if you plan to buy or sell a home? The best way to get that information is to lean on the pros. Experts are constantly updating and revising their forecasts, so here’s the latest on two of the biggest factors expected to shape the year ahead: mortgage rates and home prices. Will Mortgage Rates Come Down? Everyone’s keeping an eye on mortgage rates and waiting for them to come down. So, the question is really: how far and how fast? The good news is they’re projected to ease a bit in 2025. But that doesn’t mean you should expect to see a return of 3-4% mortgage rates. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says: “Are we going to go back to 4%? Per my forecast, unfortunately, we will not. It’s more likely that we’ll go back to 6%.” And the other experts agree. They’re forecasting rates could settle in the mid-to-low 6% range by the end of the year (see chart below):

Planning to buy a home soon? Why not go for something brand-new? Because data shows a lot more buyers are seeing the appeal of new home construction these days – and you may find out it’s what you want too. The National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains that newly built homes accounted for 15% of all homes sold last year. That’s a significant increase, and is actually the highest percentage in 17 years (see graph below):

A recent study from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows most sellers (61%) completed at least minor repairs when selling their house. But sometimes life gets in the way and that’s just not possible. Maybe that’s why, 39% of sellers chose to sell as-is instead (see chart below):

Some Highlights The #1 task sellers struggle with is setting the right asking price for their house. Without an agent’s help, you may set a price that turns away buyers and takes a long time to sell. To make sure your house is priced right, connect with a local agent. Because if the price isn’t compelling, it’s not selling.